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Former students win awards
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‘Boy Wonders* in printing
By BONNIE LAWRENCE
Staff Writer
The Randolph Ledger
You might call Tony Johnson
and Tim Nelson boy wonders of
the business world.
Actually, at the ripe old ages of
just-tumed-22, they’re not boys
any more. But the two were just
19 when they went into business,
acquiring the PIP Printing fran
chise in Asheboro.
During the summer, Johnson
and Nelson became award-
winning businessmen. At the PIP
national convention in Nashville
over the FourUi of July, they
received an award for the highest
percentage of growth of all PIP
franchises in the Southeast
region, which stretches from
North Carolina south to Florida
and west to Texas.
To that award they added
another for four-color process in
the category of all franchises 2
years old and under. Their award-
vnnning entry was a business
card for the Comfort Zone.
“We were real excited,” said
Johnson, who says he and Nelson
are the youngest owners ever in
the franchise. “We had no idea
we’d win any type of award.”
Johnson and Nelson bought the
PIP franchise at a good price
from the previous owners
because, Johnson says,“the store
was doing poorly.” The two
assumed all the company’s loans
and set out to succeed in business.
The pair came to the business
from different routes. Nelson
received an A.A. degree in Prin
ting Technology from Chowan
College in Mufreesboro. Johnson,
who also attended Chowan, had
worked for three years at a PIP
franchise in Burlington, the
hometown of both. At the time he
left, Johnson had been production
manager for a year.
The partners bought the shop
three weeks before Nelson
graduated from college.
For six months or so they com
muted to Asheboro from Burl
ington. “We’d sleep in the back on
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the floor.’’says Johnson. “When
we could not stand it, we’d go
home and take a shower, spend
the night and come back.” \^en
they couldn’t take traveling bet
ween home and office any more,
they rented a place in Randleman
for a year. Last December the
two eliminated the drive
altogether by buying a house in
Asheboro.
Johnson and Nelson have made
a lot of changes in the printing
shop since they took over. They
have added a second copier,
laminating equipment, a bookbin
ding machine, and electric col
lators. “We have some of the
most sopisticated equipment
around,” says Johnson.
The company has also added a
two-color press and a fax service.
“We’re going to try to offer 24-
hour turnaround time,” Johnson
says.
The franchise’s territory covers
all of Randolph County.
The young owners think of their
business as filling a need between
quick printers and commercial
printers. “We can handle almost
any business.’’Johnson says
“Word of mouth helps us out a
lot. We hope that any time so
meone needs something quick,
PIP comes to mind.”
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Order of Lux
et Veritas
Inductees
These seven faculti/ and staff members were recentiv inducted
into the Order of Lux et Veritas to join 18 charter members
inducted last year. Each has provided 25 years of service to the
college, and each received a Chowan watch and certificate of
induction. Those recognized included: (from left) Dr. R.
Hargus Taylor, chaplain; Herman IV. Gatewood, chairman,
Department of Graphic Communications: Stephen H.
Davenport, assistant to the director of ph^/sical plant; Philmore
L. Boone, chief groundskeeper; Robert W. Brown, professor
of music; Carl H. Simmons, professor of mathematics; and
Charles L. Paul, professor of history! and geography.
PAGE EIGHT — The Chowanian, October. 1988
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